Loughborough University Cover Letter Examples

Getting Started

The secret to any successful application (and interview!) is doing your background research before you start. By reading the vacancy carefully, learning about the organisation and exploring the wider job sector, you will be more effective at targeting your applications. Learning about skills employers seek will help you to identify your strengths and evidence the relevant ones. Work out your unique selling points (USPs) and use positive action words to make a more powerful impact, online and in person.

All applications must be tailored to each job role you apply for. The vacancy will ask you for specific skills, qualifications and knowledge, so it is imperative that you use the information given to you, as well as what you have learned from your background research, to construct your application.

When writing an application it can be easy to make mistakes. Make sure your spelling, grammar and punctuation is checked thoroughly, please look at the following documents to help.

CVs (Curriculum Vitae)

Curriculum Vitae literally means 'record of life'. It's a personal marketing tool, presenting your skills, attributes, experience and qualifications to employers in a way that demonstrates your suitability for a job or position.

Your CV needs to be well presented, concise and tailored for each opportunity.

Everyone’s CV should be different and yours should reflect experiences and skills that are specific to you and relevant to your chosen role.

Make sure you get your CV reviewed by someone else to make it the best it can be.

Unless otherwise stated, a UK CV is generally 2 pages long.

Please refer to our CV checklist below to make sure you have considered all the basics:

If you are a researcher, please use the CV checklist below:

Chronological (or traditional CV)

This is probably the most popular style of CV, where you structure your sections in reverse chronological order (most recent first, earliest last).

This style of CV helps employers to quickly understand your experience and where you have developed your skills and knowledge matched to the job description.

Skills based (or functional CV)

Skills based CVs are useful for those who have had a gap in their employment or education history, have limited or unrelated experience, or who have had many jobs in a similar field, using the same skills.

This style of CV allows you to dedicate a section to the skills the employer is looking for and provide evidence of how you have demonstrated them.

One page CV

Certain sectors, such as finance and management consultancy, may ask for a one page CV. Don’t be fooled into thinking it is easier to write than a 2 page CV. It can be a lot harder to select the necessary information, and every sentence must be relevant to the job!

Design CV (or creative CV)

When applying for roles within creative areas, candidates may wish to construct a CV to reflect and showcase their creativity. If you decide this is right for you, make sure the wording and structure is right first before you think about the layout and design. It is also important to check whether the employer in question is happy with receiving this style of CV.

Academic CV

These are used when applying for research based or lecturing roles. Your CV can be longer than 2 pages, but ensure you keep it as concise as possible. The lenience in length allows you to go into more detail about projects, publications, funding and relevant conferences.

For more detailed advice, see The Guidebook - How to excel in applications and interviews.

For example of action words to use in your CV, please click on the PDF below:

For examples of how to articulate your skills on CVs, please click on the PDF below:

CV examples for international students can be found on our International Students page

Covering Letters

Whenever you submit a CV you also need to send a tailored covering letter (or email). It should explain your motivation for that role and organisation and emphasise the skills and experience that are particularly relevant to that opportunity.

Your covering letters need to be specific to the role and highlight why you are suitable, making reference to your CV where necessary.

Make sure you research the company you are writing to and reflect this in your reason for choosing them.

Keep your letter short and concise and present it in a logical and structured way that makes it readable and interesting!

Example covering letters

For more detailed advice, see The Guidebook - How to excel in applications and interviews.

For example of action words to use in your covering letter, please click on the PDF below:

Covering letter examples for international students can be found on our International Students page

Application Forms

Application forms are used by employers to compare candidates’ details against their selection criteria and choose who to take forward to the next stage of the recruitment process. They usually combine simple questions, asking for factual information, with more open ended questions with word limits, requiring you to evidence a particular experience, skill or competency.

Research the job or placement you are applying for so you can tailor the information and evidence that you provide. Read the instructions and questions carefully, making sure you understand exactly what the employer is looking for. Select powerful and relevant examples from all areas of your experience and consider using the STARR technique for those longer competency based questions.

For more detailed advice, see The Guidebook - How to excel in applications and interviews.

For example of action words to use in your application form, please click on the PDF below:

Interviews

Interviews are good news – they mean your application form or CV has worked. Now you need to get the preparation underway to make the most of the opportunity.

Increasingly first interviews are telephone interviews - and video interviews are becoming popular too. A first interview tends to be one-to-one between you and the interviewer, but at some stages you may be interviewed by more than one person at a time. Some interviews can be very formal, while others might resemble an informal chat, but be assured that the interviewer/s will be assessing you whatever the format. Assessment centres or second interviews can have a more varied structure.

Interviews may seem scary, but they don’t have to be. By preparing well they can be a positive experience. Review your application form, letter or CV and build on the research you have started. Find out as much as you can about what the employer expects during their interview process and prepare and practise answers to typical interview questions.

Work out in advance what you will wear and how you will get to your interview; and on the day be positive and enthusiastic to make the best impression possible.

For more detailed advice, see the tools and resources below.

Video Interview Practice Tool:

The Careers Network has teamed up with Sonru, a leading provider of video interview software, to bring you the chance to practise a video interview. To find out more and to have a go see our advice on Video Interviews below:

PwC has an interview e-learn page to help you to understand what is involved in their interviews: PwC interview e-learn

Intel: Interviewing at Intel

Milkround: A graduate's guide to job interviews

Prospects:

Documents:

City Disabilities has created a new information brochure to help candidates to perform well at job interviews while discussing their disability:

Network Rail has produced a guide to interview skills including interview types, example questions and preparing for the unexpected:

Assessment Centres

Assessment centres, (sometimes called second interviews), are often the final stage in the graduate recruitment process – and are increasingly used in placement selection too. They are usually held at the employer’s premises or a hotel and involve a variety of individual and group exercises designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate specific skills and qualities against a predetermined set of criteria.

Find out if you need to prepare anything to take with you to the assessment centre. Some employers ask you to prepare a short presentation. Identify which skills and qualities the organisation is looking for and work out how you can best demonstrate these. When you get there be friendly, positive and professional and be yourself. Make a contribution to all activities so that the assessors have something to mark you on.

For more detailed advice, see our guidebook - How to excel in applications and interviews 2017.

Resources to help prepare for assessment centres

Mock Assessment Centres:

To sign up to attend a mock assessment centre, run by the Careers Network team, with participation from leading graduate employers, visit Attend Careers Events for a list of dates available.

Videos:

Capita: Lead The Way graduate programme - assessment centre advice from graduates

Barclays behind the scenes at an assessment day (what the assessors really think):

CareerPlayer: How to ace an Assessment Centre

Websites:

Intel: The assessment process at Intel

Prospects: Assessment Centres

Publications:

Employer Tests

Many graduate recruiters use online psychometric or aptitude tests within their selection process. In fact 70% of assessment centres now include these tests within their assessment centres. Research has shown that an effective preparation strategy can have a positive effect on your scores. Most tests are timed, so make sure you understand the instructions, plan your time and work through the questions as quickly as possible.

Numerical reasoning tests measure your understanding of numerical data, and how you make logical decisions. Most tests use application of GCSE-level concepts such as percentages, ratios etc. Identify gaps in your knowledge and address these gaps with one or more of the tools featured in the pdf below:

Verbal reasoning tests look at your understanding and interpretation of written information. For further advice see the pdf below:

Diagrammatic reasoning tests (also known as inductive or abstract reasoning) can use shapes, symbols, numbers and letters in which the candidate is required to find and continue a pattern.

Deductive reasoning tests ask you to draw logical conclusions to a given statement. These test your problem solving abilities.

For further information about psychometric testing, including other types of assessments, such as personality questionnaires, situational judgement tests, and other test practice resources use our pdf below:

Careers Network has invested in high quality licensed online psychometric test packages to give Loughborough students and graduates free access to the following practice tests. (The links below to our Employer Test pages only allow access to current students and staff, so if you are a graduate and would like to use these tools, please email careers@lboro.ac.uk stating your full name and either your Student ID number or your degree course and year of graduation.)

Graduates First: A range of practice psychometric tests, including verbal, numerical, logical reasoning, situational judgment and personality tests, plus example assessment centre exercises. You can access these tests and see further instructions on our Employer Tests page in the Careers toolkit.

Profiling for Success: A comprehensive suite of practice psychometric tests, including abstract reasoning skills, numerical reasoning skills, verbal reasoning skills, personality - Types Dynamics Indicator (based on Myers-Briggs), a learning styles indicator and a values-based indicator of motivation. You can access these tests and see further instructions on our Employer Tests page in the Careers toolkit.

For further advice, see The Guidebook - How to excel in applications and interviews.

Resources to help prepare for Employer Tests

Videos:

Civil Service Fast Stream:

Careerplayer: Psychometrics explained - tips and advice

Websites:

Targetjobs: Psychometric tests: what they are and why graduates need to know

PwC: Psychometric e-learn

Prospects:

Wikijobs: sample questions from a range of tests

CEB Global: practice tests

Institute of Psychometric Coaching: free practice aptitude tests

Jobtestprep: aptitude tests

123test: job assessment IQ tests

Job Offers

If you’re reading this section because you’ve received a job offer, congratulations!

To find out more about the following:

what to expect when you receive an offer (the documentation and processes involved)

evaluating the offer and making a decision

how to accept (or reject) an offer

where to access advice and support

see our PDF:

Preparing yourself for work

As an international student with Loughborough University we can help you to prepare for work after your studies and give you the skills and confidence to plan ahead when considering your career. You can gain lots of advice from the series of guides available on this site; from preparing for work by making the most of your time studying in the UK and marketing yourself effectively to employers in both the UK and overseas.

Finding work

Work experience can greatly enhance your experience as an international student, helping you gain confidence with the English language and culture, developing your skills and giving you opportunities to make new friends and useful contacts for the future. The more experience you obtain, the more skills you will be able to include on your CV. Our PDFs offer lots of helpful advice on finding work during your studies and making effective applications.

Keep up to date with the latest news, events and vacancies on the International Students Careers Blog.